Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
THE brutal murder of 36-year-old Dangamvura woman, Winnet Rafemoyo, by her husband, Brian Maputaire (44), in the early hours of Monday, is alleged to have been the culmination of a long-standing history of domestic violence between the couple, stemming from disputes over the proceeds of their vending enterprises.
The victim, who was attacked on the head and died on the spot, is said to have had a pattern of physically confronting her husband, locking him out of their house at night, and had previously attacked him with an axe – with the matter having been reported at Dangamvura Police Station.
Neighbours revealed that the night preceding the incident was the third that Maputaire had slept out on the verandah after being kicked out of the house by an irate Rafemoyo.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the couple’s long-standing history of domestic violence, adding that on the morning in question, Maputaire broke into the house, around 3am, after being locked out by Rafemoyo, and went on to assault her with clenched fists until she succumbed to the injuries.
Both neighbours and police confirmed that the late Rafemoyo would often violently confront her husband, accusing him of being irresponsible by squandering proceeds from their vending enterprises.
“The accused and the deceased were husband and wife, with a long-standing history of domestic violence. The deceased, Winnet Rafemoyo, was known to have physically abused the accused, Brian Maputaire, on previous occasions.
On November 9, at around 9pm, Rafemoyo had ejected Maputaire from the house following a domestic dispute, forcing him to sleep out on the veranda. At around 3am on November 10, Maputaire forced open the back door and gained entry into the house, proceeding to the bedroom where Rafemoyo was sleeping. He then assaulted her with clenched fists, punching her twice on the head.
Maputaire subsequently fled the scene and approached a neighbour, Mr Joshua Musoso, requesting rat poison. When refused, he left, prompting Musoso and another neighbour, Mr Tatenda Mubaiwa, to follow him,” he said.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka added that Messrs Musoso and Mubaiwa found Rafemoyo lying on the bed motionless, and bleeding from the mouth and nose. They made a police report.
“When Messrs Musoso and Mubaiwa went to the couple’s house, they met a 16-year-old juvenile, a child of the accused. They enquired about the whereabouts of his parents, and he indicated that they were in their bedroom. They knocked on the bedroom door, but there was no response. They opened the bedroom door and found Rafemoyo lying on the bed, naked, motionless, and bleeding from the mouth and nose.
“They informed other neighbours and a police report was made, and upon arrival, police officers found Rafemoyo’s body lying naked on the bed, with two cuts on the right side of the head, and blood oozing from the mouth and nose. Her body was taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem. Maputaire was later arrested in the 22 Miles area, and is currently in custody, assisting police with investigations,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
He urged couples to resolve any differences amicably and avoid resorting to physical confrontation, which can have serious repercussions, including loss of life.
The late Rafemoyo’s niece, Ms Marvelous Kariramamombe said the deceased had long wanted to end the marriage, but had been encouraged to stay by relatives who had counselled her, hoping things would change.
“Rafemoyo and Maputaire had challenges in their marriage, and relatives would constantly intervene, after which they would reconcile. She had made it clear that she was tired of the marriage due to her husband’s behaviour. She accused her husband of not being honest about the proceeds from their business at Dangamvura Rank. The main issue was how Maputaire handled their finances,” said Ms Kariramamombe.
“We thought their issues were over, only to receive messages that she had been murdered by her husband. We are deeply pained because Winnet has left behind four children, with the eldest being 16,” she said.
Mr Musoso, who had refused to sell Maputaire rat poison, revealed that during one of their disagreements, Rafemoyo had attacked her husband with an axe.
“He came to my house around 4am, wanting to buy rat poison. I asked him what he wanted it for at such an odd hour, and he claimed he wanted to deal with troublesome rats. He did not have any money, and I declined to give it to him on credit, so he left,” said Mr Musoso.
“We followed him to his house, where we found their children sleeping in the dining room. Their son said his parents were sleeping in the bedroom. We knocked at the bedroom door, but no one answered. We entered the bedroom and found Rafemoyo lying on the bed, bleeding. We informed other neighbours and the police.
“Maputaire started calling other neighbours, enquiring about his wife’s status.
He was calling from 30 Miles, saying he wanted to commit suicide by throwing himself into a deep well. However, one of his friends lied to him, saying his wife was alive, but hospitalised. The police managed to arrest him before he could commit suicide. Rafemoyo had previously attacked Maputaire with an axe, and the police had handled the case. The children also told us that their mother would lock their father outside, forcing him to sleep out on the veranda,” added Mr Musoso.
